Cable road for street-cars



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

. G. LEAVITT.

CABLE ROAD FOR STREET CARS. No. 366,119. Patented July 5, 1887.

N. vc'rzus, Pkbmzumgm m. wmimun, o. c.

(No Model.) I O. LEAVITTI 4 sheets slheet 2.

v CABLE ROAD FOR STREET CARS. No. 366,119. Patented July 5, 1887.

WITNESSES I .QM M INVE/VZOH W v R iififfornew I N PETERS. m mwrgmo nfim. Washington. [10.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

G. LEAVITT.

CABLE ROAD FORSTREET (EARS.

I No. 366,119. Patented July 5, 1887.

WITNESSES cklf.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

(No Model.)

0. LEAVITT. CABLE ROAD FOR STREET CARS.

Patented July 5, 18-87.

E WE

m'llllllll ih ii;

WITNESSES 0144 M //v l/E/VTOH c/vrs.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE...

oHAnLns LEAVIT'I}, on CLEVELAND, onto.

CABLE RCAD FOR STREET-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 366,119, dated July 5.1887.

Application filed February 4, 1887. Serial No. 226,518. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GHARLns LEAVITT, of Cleveland, in the county ofGuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Gable Roads for Street- Oars; and I do hereby declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itpertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements in cable roads for streetcars inwhich the cartracks are laid upon the ground in the usual manner, whilethe cable is elevated, the latter being supported by posts set betweenthe tracks and bearing adjustable lateral arms, with carryingwheels journaled at the extremes of the arms. A tilting clutch is so connectedwith the car that when depressed it passes under the carrying-wheel, andwhen elevated it is made to lift and grasp the cable, in which latterposition the clutch passes above the carrying-wheels, to the end thatwith such con:

strnction a cheap, durable, and'efficient cable road is hadwith all theparts accessible for adjustment and repairs and Without materiallyobstructing the View in the street. My invention also relates to detailsof 0011- struction, hereinafter described and claimed.

The increasing demand for rapid transit in our large cities, other thancan be afforded by the ordinary street-cars drawn by horses, has led tothe adoption of elevated roads and cable roads, the latter consisting,usually, of tracks laid upon the ground with cables located underground.These respective systems are enormously expensive, and each has otherseriously objectionable features-for instance, the elevated roadsobstruct the view in the street, thereby greatly reducing the value ofproperty along the line of such roads, and with cables operating underground the wear is excessive, requiring frequent repairs, and from theinaccessibility of the cable and mechanism such repairs are ordinarilyexpensive. I have therefore devised the cable-road system illustrated inthe accompanying drawings.

Figure l is a view in perspective of my improved cable road. Figs. 2 and3 are respectively an elevation and plan of the top portions of theposts, showing the lateral arms,

carrying-wheels, and the means for adjusting the parts. Fig. 4 is a sideelevation showing a suitable construction for the terminals of thecable,and showing also a turn-table in section. Figs. 5 and 6 areenlarged elevations of the tilting clutch and connected mechanism, thesame being side and end views, the former showing in dotted lines theposition of the clutch depressed. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of theclutch detached. Fig.8 is an inside elevation of the clutch mechanism.Fig. 9 is a plan of the clutch. Fig. 10 is a side elevation of myimproved car-wheels, the samehaving two treads. Fig.1l is a sideelevation of a car,showing the position of rope for elevating anddepressing the clutch and for operating the clutch in gripping andreleasing the cable, andshows, also, the arrangement of stops connected,respectively, with the car and turn-table.

A represents the car-tracks, that are laid upon the ground at suitabledistances apart, and B are metal posts set midway of the tracks and atsuitable intervals to support the cable F. The upper ends of these posts(shown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 3) are made cylindrical, and haverespectively mounted thereon caps B. These caps have lugs b piercedlaterally for receiving the shafts or lateral arms 0, the latter havinggrooved carrying-wheels Gjournaled at the ends thereeof. The cap may beturned or adjusted vertically on the post, and is held in the desiredposi-.

tion by a set-screw, b. The arm 0 may be slid endwise through itsbearings and is secured by set-screws c. \Vith these movements of thecap and arm C, the carrying-wheels are readily adjusted in line and atthe proper elevation. Of coursekeys or othersuitable mechanism may besubstituted in place of the set screws 1) and c.

A suitable, although not an essential, construction for the terminals ofthe line is shown in Fig. 4.. The cable passes around a large lateralwheel, F, thatseparates the cable tar enough to bring thelatter over thecenter of the car on the two tracks. The wheelF is mounted on atraveling table, f, that is drawn rearward by a cable, f,and weightf togive the proper tension to the cable F. At the driving end of the linethe cable F passes around the lateral wheel 9, and the latter is shownintergeared with the crank-shaft ,G of an upright engine, G. Thisconstruction is simple and well adapted to the purpose; but otherconstrue tions can of course be had, according to c1rcumstances. Eachear D has a frame-work,

D, located on top and at the central part of the car for supportingthe'tilting clutch. The upper part of the frame has rigidly attached ashaft, d, that projects from one side of the frame and crosswise of thecar. On this shaft is journaled a large wheel, (1, the hub of the latterbeing long to cause the wheel and attached arm (Z to turn true. To thewheel'is attached cord at, leadingdown to the platform of thecar forelevating or depressing the clutch by turning the wheel in the onedirection or the other. Upon the free end of the arm (2 and extendingfrom the one side thereof, is at tached the frame-work of the clutch.From the head of the arm (1 extend two parallel rods or studs, E, and onthese rods are mounted the side bars, E, the latter being held rigidlyin place by nuts on the rods arranged on each side of each side bar. Thejaws E of the clutch operate between the side bars, and are mounted andslide on the rods E, the latter serving asguides for the jaws. The jawshave each a threaded hole for receiving the shaft 6,

the threads in the jaws and on the corresponding parts of the shaftbeing respectively right and left handed, so that by turning this shaftin the one direction or the other the jaws are opened or closed. Awheel, 0, is mounted on the other end of the shaft 6, and cords 0" leadto the platform of the car for turning the wheel 0, and therebyoperating the clutch. The shaft 6 isjournaled in the side bars, E, andin the head of the arm d the shaft being located centrally between therods E and havingsuitable collars to hold the shaft endwise. The sidebars and the clutch structure generally are supported by a strongb'race,.d*. Grooved carrying-wheels H have theirtrunnions-journaled insuitable boxes made at the ends of the side bars, E. These wheelssupportthe cable at the proper elevation to enter the grooves E madealong the inner faces of the jaws-E, when the latter are closed to gripthe cable to propel the car. When the jawsare separated, the cable runson-the wheel H, and the car is allowed to stop. The clutch mechanism isonly depressed (by means of the wheel d and cords d") when the carreaches a terminal of the line or in passing around curves, or at aturn-table when the car is to be reversed. Itmay be remarked here thatthe clutch is turned down in the direction opposite the movement of thecable, and that suitable stops (not shown) are arranged on the wheel dand frame D for mutual engagement when the clutch is in its elevatedposition, and the draft of the cable when the clutch is closed keepsthese stops in contact. \Vhen the clutch is opened, the parts beingbalanced, the clutch remains upright, except when lowered by means ofthe cords aforesaid. weights attached at their respective ends over thecar-platform to hold the cords taut. In passing curves the cable passesin the usual manner around lateral wheels (not shown) set at the properpoints outside the curve to bring the cable in line with the straightportions of The cords d and e have the track on either side of thecurve. clutch is lowered in passing the curve, and the car is supposedto run around the curve by its own momentum, and to aid which I havedevised the car-wheels shown in Fig. 10. These wheels, in addition tothe ordinary treads, I. and flanges t, have treads I on the 1ns1de ofthe flanges, these latter treads being reduced in size considerably lessthan the treads I, more or less, according to the radius of the curvesused on the road. The common practice has been to cause the rim of thewheel passing the outside of the curve to mount a flat bar, and thusincrease for the time being the travel of the wheel. I provide aguard-rail, J, next the inside rail, said guard-rail being high enoughto engage the tread I and lift the tread I off of the rail. By reason ofthe reduced size of the tread I and of the outer wheel traveling on theflange, as aforesaid, the car may be made to travel round the curve withapproximately the same friction'had on a straight track, and with sucharrangement the momentum of the car is ample to carry the car around acurve.

What I claim is- 1. The combination, with a double -track road forstreetcars, of a series of posts and pulleys supported by bearingsadjustably secured to the posts for supporting a cable for operating thecars, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, with a double track road for street-cars and postsfor supporting a cable, substantially as indicated, of caps adjustabl-ysecured on the posts, a lateral arm mounted on each cap and adapted tobe adjusted endwise therein, carrying-wheels journaled at the extremesof the lateral arms, and suitable mechanism for holding the caps andlateral arms in the adjusted positions, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination,with tracks, cars mounted on the tracks, post-scarrying cable-supporting pulleys, and cable for operating the cars,substantially as indicated, of tilting clutches mounted on a'shaft onthe respective cars, and

The

a pulley and rope for turning said shaft, said clutches in the elevatedposition being made to elevate the cable and pass above the carrying-wheels,and adapted when depressed to pass under the carrying-wheels,substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with car-and a cable, of a tilting clutch,cable-supporting pulleys mounted on'the clutch-support and adapted to beelevated and lowered simultaneously with the clutch, a shaft with rightand left handed screw-threads for engaging the respecte ive jaws,whereby the jaws are opened or closed by turning the said shaft in theone direction or the other, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I sign this specificati0n,in the presence of twowitnesses, this 21st day of January, 1887.

V CHARLES LEAVITT.

Witnesses:

CHAS. H. DORER, ALBERT E. LYNCH.

